


Why would you choose that?

by UKPJOFan



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-01-24
Packaged: 2018-09-19 14:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9444362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UKPJOFan/pseuds/UKPJOFan
Summary: 'Despite this, whenever they told him the story they always, always emphasized that he could not go on an endless hunt for his soulmate, neither of them were looking for the other when they met and if they were they might not have met at all. “Look but don’t be fixated” was his Dad’s word of advice whenever he told the story, “you don’t want to be looking for something small because you might miss something big right in front of your eyes.”Stiles however could never get over just how unique his Dad’s soulmark was. Sure he would follow his Dad’s advice but surely there was nothing wrong with trying to help the process along by trying to make his first words to someone that little bit different.'





	

The thing with having soulmarks was, that for most people they were completely menial. The words tattooed on seemingly random places on their bodies were so regularly heard that it was almost impossible to actually find your soulmate that way. The amount of people who had “Hello”, “How are you?” and “Nice to meet you” emblazoned on their bodies showed just how hard it was to meet your soulmate.

There were those who had the luck to have a “Hi my name is...”, or a “nice to meet you, I’m…” as this greatly increased the chances of knowing you’d met the one straight away. Those who were this lucky however were often struck by an ailment known as ‘name hunting’ where they would seek out every person in their area hoping that the first words they speak would prove them to be the one. Now for those who were not lucky enough to have a favourable Soulmark name hunting was looked upon as annoyingly cute at best and with bitter disdain at worst. Especially as most name hunters would often completely lose interest in the person when it became apparent that the conversation did not match their mark.

So the point is, most people don’t know for certain if they were with their soulmate. Any one person could meet any number of other people who there soulmark matched with so most didn’t bother with them. After all if they were destined to be together a mark wouldn’t be the defining factor.

Stiles was first told about soulmates as a bedtime story when he was seven years old. His parents were two of the lucky one’s, with soulmarks so individual that they just had to match up with each other. “After all” his mom used to laugh “how many people were arrested by their soulmate.”

The words “Can you step out of the car please ma’am” ran down her left forearm and were matched by “Oh my God I can’t believe I might be getting arrested by my soulmate” on his Dad’s. 

It was always clear that Stiles inherited his lack of a verbal filter from his mother.

Despite this, whenever they told him the story they always, always emphasized that he could not go on an endless hunt for his soulmate, neither of them were looking for the other when they met and if they were they might not have met at all. “Look but don’t be fixated” was his Dad’s word of advice whenever he told the story, “you don’t want to be looking for something small because you might miss something big right in front of your eyes.”

Stiles however could never get over just how unique his Dad’s soulmark was. Sure he would follow his Dad’s advice but surely there was nothing wrong with trying to help the process along by trying to make his first words to someone that little bit different.

**. . .**

**__**“You’re like a dinosaur”

Okay, comparing Cora Hale to a dinosaur was probably not the best decision Stiles had made in his ten years of life, but still he didn’t understand why he got punched for it. After all dinosaurs were cool, there were so many different types and you could go see their bones, and they were wiped out by a meteorite from space which is sooo cool. 

So exactly, it was meant as a compliment. A compliment that would be unique enough that if she had happened to be his soulmate she would know straight away. The punch to the face would indicate not though.

His mum laughed when she heard the story. “I know how much you like them Stiles but most girls do not like being compared to large prehistoric creatures.”

“But they’re great, I was trying to say she was great! What about boy’s can I compare them” he whined, trying to understand just why he got it so wrong.

“I know sweetheart, but you should go for something more traditional if you want to compliment someone you like, at least until you get to know them a little better. It doesn’t matter if they’re a boy or a girl, you don’t want them to misunderstand.”

He nodded, but then frowned. “But I’m trying to make it unique like yours was to Dad.”

His mum gaped at him for a moment before sweeping him into a hug. “Why don’t you say a fact you know or tell them something unusual about yourself then. Then it would be just like ours.”

Stiles thought and then nodded, taking her hand as he stood up.

“Stiles” she said looking down at him as they walked to the car “You don’t know what your soulmark is yet, it doesn’t appear until your eleventh birthday, why were you already looking?”

“It was Cora’s birthday yesterday, I wanted to practice.”

Claudia strapped him into the car and tried not to laugh. 

**. . .**

Stiles decision to try and make his soulmates soulmark as outlandish as possible was solidified on the morning of his eleventh birthday. He had barely been able to sleep the night before, excited to see what the words were going to be. 

Objectively he knew that it was very unlikely to be anything interesting. He could wake up in the morning with “Hi” across his hand and be no closer to ever knowing who his soulmate was. He didn’t care though, just having the mark would mean he might be closer to having something just like his parents did, and even if it was basic, it just meant that there were even more people he could try out his weird first words with.

He woke up before he was shouted awake for probably the first time in weeks and almost bounced into the bathroom so he could look in the mirror. He was expecting to have to hunt for it on his body, he’s read horror stories of soulmarks which couldn’t be directly read due to their location in hard to reach places so he was half expecting it to be written at the top of his calf. But no.

There, written in small black cursive under his collar bone were the words:

Why the fuck would you choose that as your opening line?

Stiles grinned. That was a challenge if ever there was one, he had to make sure that whatever he said to his soulmate lived up to that.

He ran down stairs to show his parents.

His Dad was mortified.

His Mom thought it was hilarious.

**. . .**

Stiles was tired. He’d been in his mom’s hospital room for hours now but he didn’t want to fall asleep in case she woke up again. He was twelve and not stupid. He understood what terminal illness meant. He knew his mom was dying and he was determined to spend as much time as possible left with her. He was startled when a hand fell on his shoulder.

He turned expecting to see his Dad’s face, but instead there was a curly haired nurse, about his mom’s age and wearing a kind, if somewhat tired smile.

“We have to do some tests now Stiles so you’re going to have to wait outside.”

He groaned, if there was anything worse than sitting in the room with her, pale and quiet and so unlike the mom he knows, it would to be outside alone. He stood up and started towards the door, stopping again when the nurse spoke.

“My son Scott is by the reception desk if you want to talk to someone, he’s starting in your grade at school next year.”

He gave her a weak smile and walked out the door. Sure enough, sitting behind the reception desk was a floppy haired boy about his age. Stiles glanced towards the row of empty seats before stepping towards the desk. He really didn’t want to be alone.

“Did you know everyone has a unique tongue print, just like their fingertips?”

The boy’s eyes widened as he looked at him. “Really, how do you know.”

As Stiles rambled off talking about forensics he had one thought in his mind. These random introductions weren’t just for him and his soulmate now. They were for his mom too.

**. . .**

“Scott if you like her so much why don’t you go up and talk to her.”

“Stiles we are the height of uncool. Why on earth would she want to talk to me.”

“Yes. _We_ are the height of uncool, if you think that she would think you unworthy to talk to why on earth would she want to talk to me.”

“It would be less embarrassing if you talked to her though.”

“Just. What. How. It would not be less embarrassing Scott, she’s a new person, the first new person I’ve met in ages. I have a list of weird things to say that I don’t even know which one to say. I’ll probably say more than one and ridiculously embarrass myself that way, and flailing. I’d definitely flail. I would do some spectacularly flailing.”

“You’re flailing now.” Scott noted.

“Exactly! I’m flailing talking to you imagine how bad it would be talking to her.”

Scott just turned his puppy eyes on him.

“Scott don’t- Fine! But if this ends badly I am holding a grudge for this Scotty and you know how well Stilinski’s hold grudges.” He turned and walked across the corridor to where the girl in question was unpacking her bag into a locker.

“My best friend thinks you’re absolutely beautiful so please don’t let us be a match.”

The girl turned around looking confused. “Sorry, who are you?

Stiles breathed a sigh of relief before answering. “I’m Stiles, sorry about that, I was trying to say the thing least likely to be a soulmark as my best friend sent me over to say hello as he thought you were really pretty, and it would definitely be against the bro code to soulmatch with the first girl that’s caught his attention in ages and now i’m rambling.” 

He stopped wincing, this was exactly what he thought would happen. He was going to kill Scott. He glanced back up to where the girl looked almost amused.

“Well in that case, I’m Allison. Nice to meet you.”

Stiles grinned “Likewise, so-” he was cut off by the bell ringing and winced. “I better be heading…”

She waved as he turned away, stopping when she shouted “Hey Stiles, you don’t have a spare pen do you. I’ve managed to forget one.”

“I don’t, but I’m sure someone will lend you one in class.” She grimaced and nodded, as Stiles dashed back towards Scott.

“Well?”

“She’s not my soulmate and she doesn’t have a Pen, try and lend her one if you’re in the same class.”

Scott grinned at him as they headed off to homeroom. 

The “How did you know I needed one?” that resided on Scott’s bicep made far more sense when he heard the two of them gasp when Scott offered her a pen in chemistry. He rolled his eyes, they had spent so long trying to work out the context of that line but not once had they thought that the answer would be Stiles. He grinned, Scott would be forever in his debt now.

**. . .**

Scott apparently did not feel forever in his debt. In fact Stiles was feeling somewhat abandoned by his best friend who had elected to partner up with Allison for the joint history project leaving him to work with Cora Hale.

The Cora Hale of Dinosaur fame.

Stiles could now quite happily admit that his whole Dinosaur comment while not intended as such probably was insulting for her, however he had quite happily avoiding her at all opportunities for the intervening five years.

“Tomorrow after school, my house, don’t be weird.”

Stiles had barely time to nod before she turned and strode off leaving him mildly terrified in her wake. 

Following ane evening of wining to Scott about a how he was an awful best friend and a fairly uneventful day at school he was sat, in the driveway in front of the Hale house still feeling mildly terrified, albeit for different reasons. The house was huge, more a mansion than a house and all it did was remind him about all the weird rumors there were about the hales. He shook his head. Apart from being terrifying for a 16 year old there was absolutely nothing to suggest that Cora, or any of the other Hale’s were part of a cult.

He got out of the car and was just about to knock on the door when it opened to reveal a man in his mid twenties. 

“In order for a wolf cub to urinate its mother has to massage its belly with her tongue.”

The mans mouth dropped open in shock and Stiles cringed. That had to be the most weridly embarrassing opening line he’d ever come out with.

Apparently recovering from his shock the man stepped aside to welcome him inside. “You must be Stiles, and apparently you haven't changed from the dinosaur days.”

Stiles winced “You know about that?”

The man huffed out a laugh. “The entire family know about that,” he held out his hand “Derek Hale, Cora’s brother.

Stiles held out his hand gingerly, embarrassed when Cora came down the stairs. “I told you not to be weird, by the look on your face you've been weird.”

Stiles opened his mouth to reply but Cora interrupted him before he could. “Don’t let Derek embarrass you, he’s just as much as a weirdo as you are.”

Derek grunted in annoyance but didn’t dispute the fact, shooting stiles a quick smile before turning back up the stairs.

“Now,” Cora said leading him into the kitchen “you’re good with weird facts, have you had any ideas on what to do this paper on.

Stiles grinned and took off his bag. Maybe the Hale’s weren’t so bad.

**. . .**

It was his last lecture of his first day of college and he had met so many people that he was running out of material. From his roommate “The world's deepest postbox is 10 meters underwater,” to various people he’s met around campus over the course of the day “Female Kangaroos have three vaginas,” “The oldest Condom’s ever found date to the 1640’s” “Buzz Aldrin was the first man to piss on the moon”, and finally the nice talkative lady in the canteen, “Psycho was the first american film to show a flushing toilet.”

To put it simply he was all out of interesting facts so when he sat next to the strawberry blonde in his forensic chemistry lab he just said the first thing that popped into his head.

“I once wrote a paper about the history of male circumcision for economics.” Stiles was wincing before he’d even finished saying it, that was something he had admitted to few people apart from Scott so why on earth he’d elected to tell this random girl that- 

“Why the fuck would you choose that as your opening line?”

Stiles mouth dropped open in shock.

“No seriously!” The girl snapped “I have had those stupid words tattooed on my body for seven years and I have spent that entire time wondering what sort of context you would say them to me in that could possibly explain them but no. They are literally the most random thing you could have possibly come up with. Why?”

Stiles kept staring as she finished her rant, dumbfounded. “You, you’re my - uh, soulmate.”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Well unless I’m going to meet someone else who not only did an economics project on male circumcision but also thinks that it's the first thing I should know about them. 

Stiles is saved from answering by the professor walking in and starting the lecture. He spent the majority of the lecture in a daze, thoughts drifting between elation at _actually finding his soulmate_ and horror because his soulmate has the fact that he did an essay of circumcision _tattooed on her body._ He was so deep in his thoughts that he missed the lecturer dismissing the class and only became aware when he heard the screeching of the stools being pushed back.

As he gathered his bag he noticed that the girl was already gone. He glanced round the room for any site of her and sighed, a heavy feeling settling in his stomach. He’d always thought that saying these stupid things would make it easier for both him and his soulmate but apparently it ended things before they even began. 

He hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and slouched out of the room. He had just walked through the door when a hand grabbed his wrist.

He turned to see the same girl standing there, with an unimpressed look that equaled her one from earlier. “What took you so long, I wouldn’t of pegged you to be someone who voluntarily spends extra time in there.”

“No- I- Wasn’t- You- You were waiting for me.”

“Of course I was waiting for you, we’re going to dinner.”

“We’re what?”

“Going to dinner, fate believes we are soulmates and personally I would like to find out why.” She shot a smile at him before turning and walking away.

“Well are you coming then?” She shot back over her shoulder.

Stiles grinned and jogged to catch up with her. “Wait! I don’t even know your name. 

“It’s Lydia, Lydia Martin.”

“Stiles” he replied holding out a hand.

She took it, a small smile growing on her face. “It’s nice to finally meet you Stiles.”


End file.
